Floating Underwater by Tracy Shawn

Author:Tracy Shawn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gatekeeper Press

Chapter Seventeen

For a whole week after her mother’s apparition had appeared—and then vanished, Paloma waited. But nothing happened. She didn’t have any out-of-body experiences, witness any silver-netted skies, encounter any dead relatives, or even receive any visions. As another week passed, she told herself that she had pushed through the emotional stew that had somehow brought on the bizarre phenomena. Then one day she woke up, convinced that it was time to toss out the past and accept the future, time to get out of her own head and help Tatiana.

It was an alarmingly hot Thursday. She pushed herself up from the couch. It couldn’t wait another day—or moment. She checked the time and flew out the condo. Tatiana would be on her way to work. Ignoring the pounding heat, Paloma ran up Pacific Street. Her sandals thudded against the sidewalk in an urgent rhythm that made her run even faster. A block away from the florist shop, she spotted Tatiana with a young surfer boy she recognized from the beach. They were holding hands as they sauntered down the sidewalk. Paloma froze. Could this sweet, gangly kid, whom she seen pick up trash from the beach before he hit the surf and who made sure to always bring food and water for his black lab (who faithfully waited as he watched the boy skillfully maneuver the waves), be the father of Tatiana’s baby? How could she talk to Tatiana in front of him—a mere boy who may or may not be the father, and who may or may not know about the pregnancy. Tatiana spotted her before Paloma could figure out what to do.

“Hey, Paloma!” Tatiana grinned.

Paloma took in a ragged breath and walked up to them. Since Tatiana didn’t say a word more, Paloma introduced herself to the boy.

He ducked his head shyly, but his smile was as bright as sunlight. “I’m Marcel.”

It’s nice to meet you.” She turned to Tatiana. “Can we talk?”

“Can it wait? I’m heading to work.”

“It can’t wait—and it’s personal.” Paloma fixed her gaze on Marcel.

Tatiana cleared her throat. “Whatever you want to say to me, you can say in front of him.”

“It’s okay,” said Marcel. “I’ll see you after work.”

“I’m going to miss you,” Tatiana said, stroking his arm.

Paloma bit her lip as she recalled how her sixteen-year-old heart would jump into her throat at the slightest touch of her boyfriend, how they had spent endless hours hunting for sea glass together, how his toothy smile made her want to cry. How overpowering young love could be. How amazingly tender, too.

Tatiana glanced at Paloma, a flash of embarrassment in her eyes. But when she looked back at Marcel, her gaze melted into adoration.

He hooked a finger in Tatiana’s front pocket and stared back at her. “Remember what I told you.”

Tatiana nodded, beaming.

“I’m here.” He held his other hand over his heart. They hugged goodbye, and then he walked up the sidewalk, sun-bleached tips of his kinky, burnt-orange hair creating a halo.

Tatiana and Paloma were left facing each other, a dense silence between them.

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